Affiliate marketing is proving to impact brand growth and affiliate marketers’ earnings significantly. According to statistics, over 80% of brands use this promotion method to increase their reputation and revenue. This means publishers have many opportunities to jump into this lucrative market and make something game-changing.

That said, you must do more than just pick a random advertiser and start promoting their products. As you’ve arrived here, learn how to choose the right affiliate program to guarantee successful promotions. Plus, we’ll show you where to find them. Let’s dive in!

How Do Affiliate Programs Work?

Before knowing the secrets, it’s essential to understand how an affiliate program works.

Advertisers (brands/businesses) who want to implement affiliate marketing will design a program that lists all the details. This often includes the eligibility requirements, commission structures, application forms, terms and conditions, etc.

Publishers (affiliates) will join these programs and promote the brand’s products or services on their online presence (e.g., blog, email, social media). They aim to encourage their customers to click through the affiliate links and take action (e.g., sign up for a form, leave an email address, buy a product, etc). For each successful promotion, the publishers will earn a commission (e.g., cash, credits, or gift vouchers).

Basically, this performance-based scheme offers a win-win situation for advertisers and publishers. While advertisers increase their sales and reputation, publishers can make money. 

How to Find Affiliate Programs

Where exactly can you find the right affiliate programs? We’ve got some hints for you:

Join an affiliate network

Affiliate networks are the first option if you need help determining where to land your search. Those like us act as intermediaries that connect you with a diverse range of advertisers worldwide.

As you join, find the appropriate brands by sorting them based on industry, location, payments, offers, etc. Besides facilitating connections, affiliate networks are a reliable platform where you can apply for certain programs, track results, and receive money.

Find the program on search engines

Let’s approach the most common method: using search engines like Google. We recommend being specific in this case, inputting the query “[your niche/product category] + affiliate programs” (or something similar) instead of just asking “the best affiliate programs.”

For instance, if you’re a beauty blogger, type “skincare affiliate programs” or “fashion affiliate programs.” If you’re a travel blogger, enter “travel affiliate programs” or “hotel affiliate programs.”

The screenshot above shows the query “skincare affiliate programs” output. As you might see, it shows you the top list or the program itself. You need to research and pick the appropriate one.

Note: Some brands don’t name it an affiliate program; they use the phrase “associates” or “partner(ship) program.”

Access a brand’s website

If you’re interested in a particular brand, you can navigate its website or social media account to determine whether it offers an affiliate program.

You can check the website’s header or footer for links to the “Affiliate Program,” “Partner Program,” or “Become a Partner.”

Sometimes, information about affiliate programs is located on the About or Contact pages or in the main navigation menu.

Search on social media platforms and forums

People talk a lot about affiliate programs on social media platforms and forums. So, consider joining platforms like Facebook, Reddit, and LinkedIn to learn about tips and program recommendations. Besides, you can engage in conversations on forums like Warrior Forum or Digital Point to explore members’ experiences with various programs.

Attend relevant events and conferences

Another tip for choosing the right affiliate program is to network at conferences, webinars, and industry meetups. This way, you can meet program managers and representatives in person, allowing for direct inquiries and joining. Additionally, this is an excellent chance to stay updated on the latest trends and strategies in affiliate marketing.

Check affiliate directories

The last available option is to look through affiliate directories like Affiverse, AffiliateProgramDB.com, and Affiliate Watch.

You can find an appropriate one from numerous affiliate programs across different categories by filtering them by niche, commission type, or popularity. Reviews and ratings from other affiliates also provide valuable insights into the program’s reliability.

What to Consider When Choosing an Affiliate Program

Among thousands of affiliate programs on the market, which is your ideal one? Carefully consider the following tactics, and you’ll find the answer.

Research the niche and products

This is the golden rule in affiliate marketing: choose affiliate products that speak to your audience’s interests. This way, you meet their expectations and increase the likelihood of conversions. Conversely, promoting a product that has no relation to your customer will lead to inauthenticity and show that you value promotion over audience value.

Evaluate the brand’s reputation

You never want to promote a brand with a bad reputation since it will negatively affect yours. So, before promoting a brand, research to evaluate its product quality, customer service, and business practices. Reviews from other affiliates and customers are impactful in identifying a brand’s reliability.

Regarding affiliate programs, look for brands that are transparent about how they track sales, handle payments, and communicate with affiliates.

Consider commission rates

The next tip on choosing the right affiliate program involves weighing commission structures. Each brand offers a unique commission rate. While some give you a fixed percentage of the sale price, others implement a tiered structure based on sales volume.

Additionally, pay attention to the model before applying. The most popular ones are CPA, CPS, and CPC, and they vary based on industry and product types.

Note: High commission rates are tempting, but they’re not always a good sign. To ensure more profit in the long run, evaluate brand reputation, conversion rate, and other crucial details.

Check cookie duration

This metric tells how long you can earn a commission after a customer clicks your affiliate link and takes action. Depending on each program condition, it could be one week, one month, or even longer.

Longer durations are generally better, as they increase the chances of conversion. However, we recommend choosing programs with cookie durations long enough to capture potential sales but not unrealistic, given your audience’s buying behavior.

Search for payout details

Payment details also play a crucial role in choosing the best affiliate program. Typically, you should consider the following information:

• Minimum payout threshold: This involves the minimum earnings required before receiving a payout. Affiliates often prefer lower thresholds since they can get their money more frequently.
• Payment methods: Brands often offer multiple payment methods (e.g., PayPal, Payoneer, bank transfer, check) to encourage international publishers to join. So, choose a program that makes reliable options for you.
• Payment frequency: Consider whether the brand pays you regularly (e.g., weekly, bi-weekly, monthly).

Read eligibility requirements

Brands often set eligibility requirements to ensure they recruit the right publishers for their affiliate programs. So, make sure you meet those criteria before applying. Typically, there will be some requirements as follows:

• Geographic restrictions: the program will limit the publishers to some specific locations only (e.g., they only allow US or European affiliates to join)

• Promotion channel: the programs might have specific requirements about the type of content you can create and the marketing methods you can use. For example, some don’t accept Google ads or Facebook ads to promote their products)

Find out marketing resources and customer support

To save time and effort, choose brands that provide high-quality marketing materials, such as banners, email templates, and product images.

Besides, check whether they offer training materials, webinars, forums, and dedicated affiliate support. These will be invaluable resources for learning and growing your affiliate business.

Final Thoughts

This guide on choosing the right affiliate program aims to help you find a lucrative way to promote a brand and earn money. So, when you’re looking for a brand with which to cooperate in the future, make sure to check the crucial details.

Don’t panic if you feel isolated in the affiliate marketing world. Permate Global is here to connect you with this digital landscape. Keep browsing!